Who bears the expense of submitting annual financial statements to Bens Soft Pretzels?

According to the 2025 FDD, the advertising cooperatives, not individual franchisees, are responsible for preparing annual financial statements. These statements must be made available to all members of the cooperative and to Bens Soft Pretzels upon request.

This means that if a local advertising cooperative is established, each Bens Soft Pretzels store (except Special Sites) within the designated area is a member and has one vote on cooperative matters. The cooperative itself bears the responsibility of creating the financial statements, not the individual franchisees directly.

This arrangement is fairly typical in franchising, where advertising cooperatives pool resources for marketing efforts. The cooperative structure allows for shared decision-making and financial transparency, as all members have access to the annual financial statements. Bens Soft Pretzels also retains the right to request these statements, ensuring brand consistency and financial oversight across the franchise system.